146 Extra 3

◎The Rhinoceros Candle Light (I)◎

Extra 3: The Rhinoceros Candle Light (I)

On the sixth day of the fifth month in the seventeenth year of Zhanghe, at the end of the hour of Xu, I went to the main palace.

Zhao Youze had just finished paying respects to his grandfather, Old Lady Pei, outside the palace, and then chatted with Jiashan for a while in the carriage. He hurried back to the palace before the palace gates were unlocked.

At this moment, Zhao Youze was sitting at the table, eating the lychee paste specially stewed for him by the palace kitchen to cool him down, while thinking about Jiashan's abnormal behavior in the carriage just now.

"Jingwen." Zhao Youze repeated in a low voice.

Is there something wrong with this person? Otherwise, how can we explain the surprise and panic that flashed across my sister's eyes when she heard this name?

Zhao Youze was not testing Jiashan out of pure curiosity. When he asked Jiashan if he knew who Jingwen was, he was really curious. Because the last time he went out of the palace to visit his grandfather, his grandfather held his hand and kept talking about "Jingwen" for a long time. In the end, it was the butler who coaxed and tricked Old Lady Pei into taking the medicine before he stopped.

Zhao Youze just wanted to know who this Jingwen was that made his grandfather so worried on his deathbed.

Among the ministers of the same generation as my grandfather, I don’t think I’ve ever heard of anyone with the name “Jingwen”.

Zhao Youze put down the small bowl and tapped the edge of the table lightly with his knuckles - this little thoughtful movement was exactly the same as Zhang Hedi's, but the father and son had not yet realized that they were in agreement in some aspects.

Zhu Guang, the eunuch who served Zhao Youze, noticed it. He smiled and walked forward gently, saying, "Lychee paste is cold in nature. Doctor Fang has told me not to let Your Highness eat too much before going to bed. Your Highness should not use it again after using one cup. It's just the beginning of summer, so be careful of the cold air invading your body."

Zhao Youze was always easygoing, and Zhu Guang had been serving him since he was a child, so the two of them were particularly close. Zhao Youze then said "hmm", put down the litchi paste, and asked, "Will Master Lan, who teaches classics and history, come to the palace in the next two days?"

Zhu Guang said, "Yes. Grand Tutor Lan is old. I heard that he has already asked Your Majesty to resign. I think he will not be able to come to the palace for many more times."

"Hmm."

Zhao Youze closed his eyes and pondered.

Taifu Lan was a lecturer in the Hanlin Academy, a veteran of three dynasties, well-versed in history and modern knowledge, upright and impartial, and never formed cliques for personal gain. Therefore, Emperor Zhanghe specially appointed him to lecture on classics and history to the princes.

After class that day, Zhao Youze waited until the other princes had finished their studies before he took his book and went up to ask Tutor Lan questions.

Master Lan liked this kind and studious Fourth Prince very much, so he taught him very patiently. When he was about to leave, he knew that the old lady of the Pei family had just passed away, and he did not forget to advise Zhao Youze "not to be too sad".

Zhao Youze said, "Grandpa has passed away, and this is a happy death. Besides, I used to go out of the palace to visit Grandpa, so I have done my duty as a young man."

"It is rare that Your Highness is so kind and filial." Imperial Tutor Lan praised.

Zhao Youze quickly said, "I don't deserve it."

"Actually, I have my own selfish reasons," Zhao Youze smiled, his face as white as snow, "Grandpa is just like the Grand Master, he is a man of wide knowledge. Chatting with Grandpa can really broaden my horizons."

Master Lan stroked his white beard and said with a smile: "Your Highness is smart and studious, which is a blessing for the country."

"It's a pity that grandpa is old and sometimes confused," Zhao Youze said. "When he was giving me a lecture, grandpa told me to read Jingwen's poetry collection when I have time, but he didn't give it to me in the end. It's a pity."

"Jingwen..." Master Lan repeated softly.

After a pause, he said, "It is true that Prince Yongjiang has talent, but his temperament tends to be kind and weak, and he is not worthy of the responsibility of the country. In this regard, Your Highness still needs to learn more from the current emperor."

"Prince Yongjiang." Zhao Youze repeated in his heart. Jingwen was actually the Prince Yongjiang, the former Prince Xiaohuai!

Why is my grandfather related to Prince Xiaohuai?

He suppressed his surprise, his face remained calm and innocent, and he said slowly: "Yes, Yuankang will remember the teachings of the Grand Master."

After leaving the study, Zhao Youze walked slowly in the Yu Garden.

He realized later that he had done something stupid - but how could Jingwen be the Crown Prince Xiaohuai?

Although Prince Xiaohuai was renamed Prince Yongjiang, his father did not give him any hardship, and Prince Yongjiang eventually died of natural causes. His son is still in his fiefdom and has inherited his title.

However, if my father knew that my grandfather was still thinking about Crown Prince Xiaohuai when he was dying, it would be a disaster rather than a blessing for the Pei family.

He suddenly turned around and walked back towards Yu's study.

In Yu's study, Grand Tutor Lan was no longer to be seen, leaving only a few eunuchs cleaning the room.

Zhao Youze asked, "Where is Master Lan?"

"The Grand Tutor has just left," one of the eunuchs replied respectfully, "If the Fourth Prince has anything to do, please leave the palace and look for him. There is still time."

Zhao Youze heard something else, so he asked, "What do you mean?"

The eunuch smiled and said, "Hasn't your Highness heard yet? Today is the last day of the Grand Tutor's lecture. The Grand Tutor is old, and His Majesty has allowed him to retire and return home. The Grand Tutor was just talking to the servants, and he has already hired a carriage, and is preparing to leave the capital with his wife at noon."

Zhao Youze nodded: "In that case, I will go and see the Master off."

He rode out of the palace and saw Master Lan's carriage outside the capital.

Lan Taifu didn't expect that the teacher-student relationship of just two years was worth Zhao Youze coming out in person to see him off, so he was moved to tears, holding his hand and saying, "Your Highness has a bright future. I hope you will always be kind and pacify the people. No matter where I am, I will wish Your Highness a long and happy life."

Zhao Youze smiled, and finally bowed and gave a gentle hug to the elderly Master Lan. Then he saw Master Lan's carriage slowly driving out of the Meridian Gate. Only when the carriage was completely out of sight did Zhao Youze drive back to the palace.

In the blink of an eye, another year has passed. During this year, the word "Jingwen" did not cause too many twists and turns in Zhao Youze's heart.

The person is gone, Zhao Youze is not a person who clings to the past. Everyone has secrets, and to this day, he does not want to explore too much about the relationship between Old Master Pei and Prince Xiaohuai, nor does he want to find out why his elder sister knew that "Jingwen" was Prince Xiaohuai's childhood name, and would be terrified when she heard this childhood name.

Afterwards, a large number of turmoil occurred in the capital - the Pingyang Marquisate rebelled, Zhao Youcheng was demoted to a commoner and imprisoned in Fengyang, the King of Qin and his son were executed, and Zhao Youze was made the crown prince.

Every pile is no small matter.

Zhao Youze stood in the center of this storm, working all night almost every day. That night, he was reading memorials in the Duanben Palace. Since he was appointed as the crown prince, he and the inner cabinet would first review the memorials of the ministers and then submit them to Emperor Zhanghe.

When Emperor Zhang He came over, he saw Zhao Youze still reading by lamplight.

Emperor Zhanghe said, "Put down the memorial and follow me."

Zhao Youze: “Yes.”

He could never have expected that Emperor Zhanghe would actually take him out of the palace in plain clothes and bring him to the imperial prison.

The Imperial Prison was supervised by the emperor himself. It was not a prison for ordinary prisoners. Generally, only the Nine Ministers could enter. Moreover, the environment of the Imperial Prison was harsh, damp, and extremely dark.

But today the sanitation in the prison had obviously been cleaned in advance. Although it was still rotten and cold because it had never seen the sun, at least there were no mosquitoes, rats or ants, and no smell of blood.

Zhao Youze followed Emperor Zhang He, and Emperor Zhang He walked straight to the deepest cell in the imperial prison. The man holding the torch for them was the most useful sword of the emperor under Emperor Zhang He, the commander of the Yulin Guards, Chu Xi.

Chu Xi stopped outside the cell and said in a deep voice, "I will wait here."

"No need to wait here," Emperor Zhanghe said, "go back outside the prison."

Chu Xi said hesitantly: "This... the imperial prison is an ominous place. Your Majesty must be protected by someone."

Before Emperor Zhanghe could make a decision, Chu Xi took another step back and said, "I will retreat to the third cell at the door and wait for your Majesty to call me at any time."

The third cell was already more than ten feet away from here. Emperor Zhang He estimated the distance and said, "Okay, just stand there."

Chu Xi then slowly bowed and stepped back.

The imperial prison had been cleared out long ago. Apart from Emperor Zhanghe, Zhao Youze and Chu Xi, there was no other prison guard or prisoner.

Chu Xi was not there, so Zhao Youze stepped forward and opened the prison door for his father.

The person imprisoned in this cell turned out to be the Princess of Qin, who had already been announced to the world, having died of a sudden illness due to excessive grief over the death of the King of Qin and his son!

There was a slight gleam in Zhao Youze's eyes, but he said nothing and just followed Emperor Zhang He obediently.

The Princess of Qin had been imprisoned for many days without having to wash, and the environment in the prison was terrible. She was now dishevelled and dirty, no longer as rich and gorgeous as before.

Seeing them, Princess Qin sneered and said, "It seems that Your Majesty is still determined to make the Fourth Prince the Crown Prince?"

"I would like to express my congratulations here!"

Zhao Youze frowned. He was very sensitive and naturally realized that the "congratulations" from the Princess of Qin was very strange. It was strange to say that he and the King of Qin had no grudges against each other. Why would the King of Qin and his son be willing to help their eldest brother? Why did the Princess of Qin dare to be so weird in this situation?

Zhao Youze drooped his eyelashes slightly and swallowed all his doubts.

Emperor Zhanghe sat on the armchair that Chu Xi had prepared earlier, his eyes as dark as the night: "Why do I need to inform you in advance before I appoint a crown prince?"

“Oh,” Princess Qin sneered, “Your Majesty is indeed a wise emperor, with an extraordinary mind and tolerance, even the change of the country’s master can be tolerated. I have to say, this tolerance makes this concubine admire it very much.”

Hearing the words "the kingdom changes hands", Zhao Youze suddenly raised his head and felt flustered for the first time. He was no longer calm and looked at Emperor Zhang He who was sitting on the throne.

Emperor Zhanghe remained calm and composed. He said, "Who told you that the country would change hands?"

"Yuankang is my son," said Emperor Zhanghe, with a gleam in his eyes. "He is the Queen's legitimate son, and he is very intelligent. If I don't make him the crown prince, should I make your son the crown prince?"

Princess Qin looked at him with a very subtle expression: "Have you seen the letters between the Queen and Prince Yongjiang, and do you still believe that he is your son?"

Zhao Youze, who was standing by, was already deeply shocked, his eyes still dark.

"Secret affair." Zhang Hedi said calmly, "How can there be a secret affair?"

"Catch the thief and the stolen goods, catch the man and the pair."

"As for this piece of paper, I haven't read it, and I never intend to read it." Emperor Zhanghe took out the letter from his arms and lightly placed it in front of Princess Qin.

The letter was still there exactly as it looked when it was found in the Qin Palace.

Princess Qin looked at Emperor Zhang He in disbelief, her eyes dark and dark: "As the emperor, you really don't care about the innocence of the queen, and you are not afraid that the prince of a country is a fake?"

Even if there is only the slightest possibility, aren't you afraid?

Princess Qin looked at Emperor Zhang He with indifference, not believing that he was really as indifferent as he said.

【Author’s words】

Friendly reminder: The first half of this article is a continuation of Chapter 112.